There was a brand of bicycle produced by China, the brand name is “Forever”. It is a very heavy, very sturdy, but very ugly and very clumsy looking. It does not have much stylish decorations and looks very rusty.

When I was young I used to buy bicycles in the city and sell them in rural areas outside of Shanghai for about 3 months. And one thing that surprised me greatly is that the people of the rural areas don’t like the newest model and the newest brand of bicycles, they’d rather prefer the old “Forever” brand. I remember one time I had a Japanese brand bicycle, with a big “basket” in front, and some very good looking lights at the back. But none of the village folks wanted it, because they are a lot more comfortable with the “Forever” brand, they know it lasts long, and is very sturdy, are is much cheaper than the Japanese brand.

The Chinese Communist Party is just like that brand of bicycle. First, it is very “unstylish” and “old fashioned”. It has vicious nicknames like “commies” and “chicoms”. Its gear and axis all look very ugly and are not even shiny under the sunlight, so you would not like to take your girlfriend out on such an embarrassing looking bicycle. But even though the Chinese Communist Party does not have such gagdets like elections, TV debates, free protests, political ads, etc, etc., it knows how to get things done. It drove away the Japanese, drove away the Nationalists, took back Tibet, and even fought back the bullish USA in Korea.

You may look down on that rusty bicycle. But it’s that rusty bicycle that created the industrial foundation of China in 28 years time. In 1952, China’s industries are only 30% of the national GDP, agriculture is 64%. By 1975, industries became 72%, and agriculture was 28%. It built China’s first nuclear bomb, first automobile, first fighter jet, first nuclear submarine, first personal computer, etc. The Chinese Communist party is really a “treasure-trove” in the hearts of the average Chinese family. Now I ask, what has the Nationalists done for China in their rule before 1949?

Some people like to have style and look good. But if they visit China’s villages, they will realize consumers there have a different set of values. They’ll never believe that there are people out there who actually prefer an old-fashioned, rusty, “Forever” brand of bicycle.

In conclusion, I want to praise the Chinese Communist Party some more. I think the Chinese people need not listen to those democracy lovers, and should totally ignore the flashy elections of America. The Chinese people have chosen the Chinese Communist Party, and we will continue to use that bicycle because we like it and there’s nothing you can do about it. Maybe we’ll renovate that bicycle once every few years, like putting on some new paint, or change an axis. But the bicycle is still the same old rusty bicycle. There’s not a best bicycle in the world, there’s only the most useful and practical bicycle.

And even the biggest China-hater in the US government is accepting the fact that the good old bicycle will be here for a long time, and is not likely to go away soon.

Finally, I want to shout a slogan that will make many democracy lovers throw up and have a heart attack:

Math has dropped that turd about the “Forever Bicycle” at least once before, as I remember. How sad it is that there’s a part of my brain that is occupied by this fact, yet I can never remember where my car keys are.

Some revolutionary scientists have claimed that there might in fact be more countries on Earth than the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China. In fact, groundbreaking research suggests that fully 75% of the global population resides in neither one of these countries. Discuss.

“In fact, groundbreaking research suggests that fully 75% of the global population resides in neither one of these countries.”

I think this raises an important point. Namely, much has been made (by China especially) that a country with more than a fifth of the world’s people ought to have greater global representation and influence. But this rather overlooks the fact that nearly 80% of the Earth’s inhabitants are NOT Chinese.

“China (and India) definitely do not have influence proportionate to their numbers.”

Problem is, old sport, (in China’s case at least) there appears to be an assumption that numbers alone give them entitlements of control. In a global context you’re a minority. But relax, the rest of us will rally round to protect you.

@ Richard

“are you Ferin by any chance?”

There are a number of likely candidates. At the end of the day they all have the same agenda. And they all seem to have been assigned ‘duck patrol’ at one time or another. Could it be some sort of initiation program for the Chinese foreign ministry?

“…a country with more than a fifth of the world’s people ought to have greater global representation and influence. But this rather overlooks the fact that nearly 80% of the Earth’s inhabitants are NOT Chinese.”

Sorry, stuart, it doesn’t & your post, as it stands , doesn’t make any logical sense at all.

Problem is, old sport, (in China’s case at least) there appears to be an assumption that numbers alone give them entitlements of control. In a global context you’re a minority. But relax, the rest of us will rally round to protect you.

So you’re saying democracy is a farce and doesn’t work, I agree.

That’s why China should give influence to those few who are the most intelligent, responsible and knowledgeable about the specific policy and ignore “the people” because hey, numbers alone don’t give entitlements of control.

If democracy doesn’t work on the world stage it doesn’t work. Period. Stop babbling please.

It hasn’t been tried on the world stage, but democracy has been shown to work (please don’t confuse what I’m saying with American capitalist democracy, I’m an Aussie). Yes, I do babble. No, I won’t stop.

While you’re at it how do you think people hire and admit students?
Again, apples and oranges. Plumage is not necessarily a signature of quality. Look at most of the young nitwits who join the cadres and do the study to join the Party, they are generally not the best (although I did know some very smart ones), but they get an significant advantage just by being in the Party. Is that a fair advantage?

As it happens, I fear you’re correct. I haven’t been to the sceptred isle for a few years now, but standards were low and falling when I last visited. But at least the history books aren’t revisionist. Now, if only the kids could read them…

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A peculiar hybrid of personal journal, dilettantish punditry, pseudo-philosophy and much more, from an Accidental Expat who has made his way from Hong Kong to Beijing to Taipei and finally back to Beijing for reasons that are still not entirely clear to him…